Three Little Words We'll Never Stop Saying
by degrassian98
Summary: "I love you because we grew up together. You helped make me who I am." Shortest Zaya fluff ever on the way to CalArts post-Next Class, might continue if people like/are interested. Please review!


_**"I'll always love you because we grew up together. And you helped make me who I am." - Her (Spike Jonze, 2013)**_

I Suck at endings jfeirjeoicroi enjoy i didn't even know i shipped zaya til i wrote this oneshot

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Only three hours into the car ride to California and things had managed to completely unravel. Zig had offered to drive Maya to college along with all of her stuff to save money. A few tanks of gas was much less pricey than international plane travel, obviously. Maya told him she'd think about the offer since driving across the border to a country that was countless hours away with nobody but your ex, who you have a completely complicated relationship with was... a little _tricky_.

Maya should've been used to complicated situations, though. After all, her experience at Degrassi was probably the most complicated case those halls had seen in years. Zig offered at the post-graduation party at the Hollingsworth house, but after Maya took a few days to contemplate, he decided to drop by Maya's house and see what the deal was.

Maya heard the doorbell, but before she could even get out of her bedroom, Maya's mother had accepted the offer at the door. The cost to move Katie out to California had been quite the financial burden, so Maya guessed her parents were probably down for any offer that would save them a few dollars. Fair enough.

Maya knew that this was going to be weird, but nothing could've prepared for when Zig opened his mouth and began to speak, breaking the barrier and tearing down any walls of privacy that may have existed between the two of them.

"I love you." Zig had said. And it was still ringing in Maya's ears a few minutes later when Zig finally poked her and brought her back to earth. Luckily she was in the passenger's seat, because a revelation like that being shared if Maya was behind the wheel, would've resulted in a crunched up car and a few broken bones.

"You..." Maya trailed off. It wasn't like she didn't know that Zig loved her. She loved Zig too. They had loved one another for years. There was a point in time when Zig was really into Esme where Maya wondered if his love for her had faded, but they had both proven to one another time and time again that the love they had for one another wasn't something that could just disappear. It was still strange to hear him say it out loud. Especially so bluntly. "Why did you say that?"

Zig tapped his fingers on the steering wheel to no particular rhythm. "Let's get dinner." He said.

Maya glanced at the clock and noticed that it was probably a prompt time for the two of them to grab something cheap and greasy. "Let's." She said.

The two didn't speak as Zig pulled off toward a diner that had a huge neon sign flashing. The place was called 'Novak's'. Of course, it was.

"I might have gone a little bit off of our original route to this place," Zig admitted. "Only like, an hour out of the way. But my cousin owns this place, and I thought it'd be fun."

Maya turned to Zig and let a smile take over her features. "You were right." She said. "Does your cousin really own this place?"

"Totally." He responded. "I didn't just google Novak's for the novelty of it..."

Maya reached over and punched his arm. "I can't tell if you're joking like 50% of the time."

"That's what makes the jokes so great." Zig grinned, turning off the car's engine and promptly exiting the car. Maya sat in the passenger seat with pause for a moment, trying to give herself a moment alone to reflect. Just a few minutes earlier, Zig dropped a bomb on her. Now they were...getting burgers? Like nothing happened? "Damn, Matlin, I gotta chauffeur and open your door?" Zig said, opening Maya's door for her and offering a hand to help her out. She hadn't intended on having him do this favor, she had just gotten so lost in thought. But since he was being a gentleman...

Her mind was cloudy as they walked into the restaurant. Zig asked for a table for two, requesting a quieter booth as the bar area was a bit rowdy. She just nodded, lost in thought as Zig handled everything. He always had it more together when things got weird or stressful. Though... He didn't seem weird. He seemed fine. Comfortable, even. Maya wished she could relate.

A heavily tattooed waitress lead them to a booth tucked away in the back corner. "Thanks," Zig remarked, taking a seat and offering the other side to Maya. He rolled up the modicum of a sleeve he had on the mostly sleeveless top he was wearing. "You ever think maybe I should've let Grace give me that home tattoo? I think I'd look pretty badass." He joked, letting a goofy grin overtake his features.

Looking at Zig's silly smile, all of the memories came flooding back. Memories of the year she landed in the Rubber Room thinking it'd be the worst thing that would ever happen to her. Little did she know, she had Zoe to thank for provoking her into threatening her life in song. What a weird thought. If all of the drama hadn't happened, she wouldn't have ended up reconnecting with Zig. He probably would've stayed in the gang and he could've even ended up dead. Zoe ruining Maya's life was one of the best things that ever happened to her.

"It's not too late," Maya beamed. "Maybe we can get tatted in Cali before you head back to Toronto."

"Oh yeah? And what would Miss Maya Matlin get permanently etched into her perfect skin?" Zig inquired.

She'd never really put too much thought into it. "I dunno, maybe I'll just copy you and get a big Z." Was this flirting? It was toeing the line at the very least.

The tattooed waitress approached again, "Can I get you guys anything?" She said, unaware she was interrupting a possible _moment_.

"I'll have a root beer. Cream soda for you?" He looked toward Maya. Her favorite. He _has_ to be purposefully being perfect, Maya thought. She nodded. The waitress departed and the pair's eyes met again.

Throughout the meal, they recounted several of their best high school memories. Ones from the vaults, ones from the year prior... Scouring their memories for stories that filled them with nostalgia almost as much as the burgers they ordered filled their stomachs. They were choosy with the stories they told, though, both nervously avoiding stories that were too romantic or intense. Instead, they opted for silly moments like the time Zig brought a wig into class to impersonate Maya and the silly drama Freshman year with Tori and Tristan. Digging beneath the surface was something they were capable of, but it wasn't what they needed right now. Maya was already overwhelmed with uprooting her whole life to CalArts. Now was not the time to dredge up painful crap.

As Zig recounted the time he rapped in front of the whole cafeteria to prove himself to Tristan and Tori, Maya found herself wondering why he told her he loved her in the car. Had it slipped out? Or was it intentional, to plant these doubts in her head? She knew Zig's intentions were likely not devious but her anxious mind had to run through every possible scenario.

"Did you love Tori?" She blurted out a curiosity, trying to probe and maybe lead into a conversation about his unexpected declaration without stopping everything in its' tracks.

"No. I liked her, that's for sure. But... once I met you, I realized it was over." He admitted. "And I read something once that always stuck with me. If you love one person but fall for another... you never truly loved the first. That's what I believe."

Maya was overtaken by the romantic nature of Zig's words. It felt like he didn't even have to try. She was always susceptible to his words. Good to know that nearly five years hadn't changed much between them. She still felt just as smitten and conflicted as the day they met in the hallway wearing those horrific yellow Degrassi polos.

"And you still love me?" Maya inquired nervously, taking a bite of her burger immediately after so her mouth was too full to speak another word.

Zig didn't hesitate. "I'll always love you, Maya." He started, locking his blue eyes with hers. "I'll always love you because we grew up together. You helped make me who I am. There is no me without you. Without you, I'd still just be that kid in the hood with nothing going for him. I'd be living on the streets, or worse. How could I not love you?"

Maya smiled. "I love you too, Zig. Always."


End file.
